Smoke is rising from an explosion that occurred at Niagara Falls, resulting in the death of two individuals in a vehicle.
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The authorities in Niagara Falls have issued a cautionary statement to the community regarding the risks of spreading false information concerning the fatal accident at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing.
Last Wednesday, a couple from Grand Island, New York, named Kurt and Monica Villani, aged 53, were fatally injured in a car accident when their Bentley crashed into the border crossing between the US and Canada.
The explosion immediately caused concerns of a potential terrorist strike, but authorities eventually dismissed this possibility.
Currently, investigators are still in the process of gathering information to determine the cause of the fatal accident. Officials are looking into the possibility that there was a malfunction with the vehicle or that the driver experienced a medical emergency.
The police are utilizing 3D scanning advancements to construct a virtual representation of the accident scene.
Although details are limited, the police chief of Niagara expressed frustration with the widespread speculation that is causing unnecessary worry and distress in the community.
He stated that there was a great deal of false information and guessing being spread on popular and online media platforms, causing excessive and avoidable worry among the public.
Conservative individuals criticized for hastily labeling crash as a terrorist attack.
Several conservative figures were swift to label the incident as a “terrorist attack,” leading to backlash.
Senator Ted Cruz asserted that the incident was an act of terror, stating on Twitter: “This confirms our greatest concern: the explosion at Rainbow Bridge was a terrorist attack.”
Congressman Byron Donalds also added his thoughts, stating that the apparent terrorist attack should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans. He emphasized the need for a change in leadership in our country and extended his prayers to those affected by this act of terror.
Senator Rick Scott of Florida, potential presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Donald Trump Jr., along with others, also implied that the explosion could be a terrorist attack and connected it to policies regarding border security.
Oliver Darcy, a reporter for CNN, expressed disapproval of Fox News’ initial coverage of the “terrorist attack” in an interview with Abby Phillip on Wednesday.
He condemned the reporting as irresponsible, reckless, and inaccurate. He also mentioned that it was continuously reported for hours and the network even sent out a push notification regarding the terrorism report.
Lindy Li, a political strategist, took to Twitter to criticize Fox News, stating that the car explosion on the Rainbow Bridge was not a terrorist attack as the news outlet may have suggested, but instead a tragic accident.
“The attack on our Capitol by Trump was not a typical tourist visit, but rather a violent act of terrorism. It’s important to understand and acknowledge the distinction.”
Can you identify the individuals who died in the explosion?
According to sources in law enforcement, the incident at Rainbow Bridge on Wednesday evening likely involved a person from New York and their companion who were headed to a KISS concert in Toronto, Canada.
The performance had to be called off earlier today because lead singer Paul Stanley became sick with the flu.
The police have confirmed that the couple, Kurt P Villani and Monica Villani, both 53 years old, resided in Grand Island, New York. According to an obituary for the husband’s father, they are survived by two children.
Gui’s Lumber, owned by the Villanis, is a company that operates eight locations in western New York.
The company expressed their thanks to CBC and all those who have offered prayers, condolences, and well wishes. They are grateful for the kindness shown and respectfully ask for privacy as they begin the healing process.
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The chief of Niagara police cautions people about spreading false information after the crash at Rainbow Bridge.
The head of Niagara Region’s police department, Bryan MacCulloch, stated that even though the situation was promptly determined to not be related to terrorism, the speculation in traditional and digital media had caused unnecessary distress among the community.
Watch: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul says ‘no sign’ of terror activity at Niagara Falls border crash
NY Governor Kathy Hochul has stated that there is currently no indication of any terror-related actions following a car accident at the Niagara Falls border.
Condolences are being expressed for the couple who died in a fiery car accident on the Rainbow Bridge.
Police identified the victims as Kurt P Villani and Monica Villani on Friday, however, their friends, neighbors, and loved ones in the Grand Island community of upstate New York were already aware of their identities before they were officially announced.
What occurred at Rainbow Bridge?
The Rainbow Bridge was shut down at 11:50am ET due to a “traffic event”, as reported by the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition’s incident alert.
According to Mike Guenther, who was interviewed by NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV, he was walking on the bridge when he witnessed a car driving at a high speed towards the border checkpoint. The car crashed into a fence and went airborne before eventually exploding.
A different witness informed journalists that they had observed the car ignite, followed by the sight of dark smoke and fire.
Shortly after, emergency vehicles arrived to discover the car completely destroyed by fire. According to authorities, the two occupants in the vehicle perished.
The reason for the accident remains unknown.
Despite ongoing police investigations over the weekend, the reason for the explosion at Rainbow Bridge remains somewhat unknown.
There were initial theories that the driver may have experienced a medical emergency, but authorities are currently considering the possibility of a mechanical issue with the car.
According to Mayor Robert Restaino of Niagara Falls, the vehicle the couple was driving, a Bentley, was an older version and could have had a mechanical issue that caused it to unexpectedly speed up near the border checkpoint.
Unfortunately, the American division of Bentley Motors has not yet been contacted by investigators regarding the incident, according to a spokesperson quoted in the article.
According to Laura Fix, an automotive analyst interviewed by NBC-affiliate-WGRZ, the reason for the crash may be determined by examining the acceleration data retrieved from the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR).
Ms. Fix stated that if it was determined that the driver intentionally applied the accelerator pedal, then it is possible that there may have been a medical issue.
of the deceased
A communication from the relatives of the departed individual.
On Friday, it was revealed that the individuals involved in the accident were Kurt P Villani and Monica Villani, both of whom live in Grand Island.
According to internet records, the family is the proprietor of Gui’s Lumber, which has multiple branches in western New York.
The families and lumber company expressed their appreciation for the prayers, condolences, and good wishes they have received. In a statement released by the Erie County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, they also asked for privacy as they begin the healing process.
New York Governor: The car accident was so shocking, it almost seemed like it was created by artificial intelligence.
Upon viewing the footage of the accident that resulted in the death of two individuals, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her initial thought that it may have been artificially generated due to its startling nature.
Ms. Hochul promptly dismissed the possibility that the event was connected to terrorism, however she characterized it as “unreal” and mentioned that the car was completely destroyed with only the engine and some burnt wreckage remaining.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, she asked reporters, “Did you have to examine it and determine if it was created by artificial intelligence?”
“It was an unbelievable sight – witnessing the vehicle soar into the air, followed by the crash, explosion, and fire.”
The Chief of Niagara Police cautions about the dissemination of false information.
The head of the police department in the Niagara Region has cautioned the public about the risks associated with false information, after the incident at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing on Wednesday.
According to Bryan MacCulloch, even though it was determined that the event was not related to terrorism, the media and online speculation caused unnecessary fear and worry among the nearby community.
Multiple news sources, such as Fox News, had to retract some of their reporting, as they initially implied a connection between the attack and terrorism.
On Thursday, during his speech to the Niagara Region Police Services Board, Mr. MacCulloch expressed that there was a large amount of false information and guessing on both traditional and digital media sites, causing unnecessary distress in the community.
I believe that what we witnessed on Wednesday was a demonstration of how quickly false information can spread in the current climate of social media and how rapidly it can escalate.
Mr. MacCulloch did not mention any particular false information or source, but stated that there were allegations of an attack, that the car originated from Canada, and that it was loaded with explosives.
“He stated that none of the information was correct or verified, but that did not prevent certain individuals and even media sources from sharing it.”
There are four bridges in the Niagara Region that cross into the United States. I believe that their closure due to an abundance of caution only added to the fear and anxiety that there could be another attack, even though there was no initial attack.
Source: independent.co.uk
